The following relates to microphone adapters and more particularly to a novel and improved method and apparatus for reflecting sound from off-axis to on-axis from a microphone into an amplifier for musical instruments.
Various approaches have been taken to using direct and, reflective sound to create the pickup pattern for a microphone. Typically, slots are arranged in strategic places to allow more or less direct and reflective sound to enter the capsule of the microphone. One type of microphone is the unidirectional microphone; the most common type is a cardioid response. This has full sensitivity at −0 degrees (on-axis) and is least sensitive at 180 degrees (off-axis) and is designed for live sound reinforcement. One property of the cardioid pickup pattern is that it is much less sensitive to sound from 180° off-axis so that it is possible to keep different sound sources separate but the gain and frequency response to the off-axis sound is much lower. Another phenomenon that sound engineers are concerned with is “feedback”, which is sound emanating from the PA or monitor system which is then picked up by a microphone whose output is feeding that system resulting in a whining or a screeching sound. When this occurs it may damage the equipment if it is not controlled quickly. Certain microphones, such as, omnidirectional and bidirectional (FIG. 8 microphones) are more susceptible to these problems and, therefore, not used in live music situations.
Accordingly, there is a particular need for a novel and improved method and means for reflecting the sound from a musical instrument thereby enhancing the gain and frequency response and, more specifically, in such a way that the sound from a musical amplifier is reflected or altered in its course from a direction in which the microphone design has reduced sensitivity to a direction of maximum sensitivity.